No dia 18 de novembro de 2023, a história foi feita na cidade de Abuja quando os aparentes irmãos gêmeos, Vitalis e Vincent, celebraram juntos o Jubileu de Prata de sua ordenação. Recorde-se que Vitalis Chinedu Anaehobi é o Secretário Geral da RECOWA-CERAO, enquanto Vincent de Paul Boro é o primeiro Vice-Secretário Geral. A ocasião começou com uma missa concelebrada presidida pelo Pe. Vitalis Anaehobi, assistido pelo Pe. Vicente de Paulo.
A missa que teve início pelas 12 horas contou com a presença de toda a equipa da RECOWA-CERAO. A missa foi particularmente agraciada pelos atuais e ex-presidentes da RECOWA-CERAO, Dom Ignatius Ayau Kaigama da Nigéria, Dom Alexis Touably Youlo da Costa do Marfim, e o primeiro vice-presidente da CERAO-RECOWA Dom Joseph Kwaku Afrifah-Agekun. Outros foram o Pe. Celestin Sagna e Pe. George Chukwuemeka Nwachukwu que veio do escritório da RECOWA-CERAO na Costa do Marfim. O vice-reitor da Veritas University, pe. Hyacinth Eme Ichoku, uma instituição católica de primeira linha, também esteve presente na ocasião. Estiveram presentes também o Secretário Geral da Conferência dos Bispos Católicos da Nigéria, Pe. Zachary Sanguimi, e seu vice, Pe. Mike Banjo. Pe. Uche Odoechina, que é o presidente da Caritas Nigéria, e seu vice, Pe. Babangida também esteve presente. Estiveram presentes na celebração eucarística numerosos sacerdotes e religiosos de diversas partes da Nigéria. A ocasião foi frequentada por vários dignitários de Abuja e arredores.
A celebração eucarística foi ancorada pelo Pe. Martin Chukuemeka Onukwuba. Na sua longa mas precisa homilia, este pregador descontraído levou-nos numa viagem intelectual sem fim. Ele detalhou artisticamente as semelhanças coincidentes entre os dois Jubilarianos, começando com seus nomes que começavam com a letra V, respectivamente. Ele fez a congregação entender que os dois nasceram no mesmo ano e foram ordenados no mesmo ano, com pequenas diferenças. Ele exaltou o vínculo de amor entre eles e orou a Deus para sustentar esse amor e unidade que fala alto quando você entra na casa deles. Ele até traçou suas rotas após a ordenação, pois os dois partiram para missões em lugares diferentes e se tornaram formadores de seminário em diferentes pontos de sua jornada como sacerdotes.
Pe. Marting finalmente enumerou em forma de tabuinha os papéis esperados de qualquer padre católico na Igreja e na sociedade. Ele se deteve principalmente na atitude de qualquer bom sacerdote em relação ao seu Ordinário local. No final da missa, a festa começou para valer. Houve muita comida e bebida e diversas danças culturais que enfeitaram a ocasião. O clímax da cerimônia foi a leitura das citações do Pe. Vitalis e Pe. Vicente. Os presentes foram entregues começando pelos presentes provenientes da RECOWA-CERAO apresentados pelo presidente, bispo Tuoabli, e seu vice-bispo Afrifa. Eles insistiram em sua alegria em testemunhar este dia. O ex-presidente, que vive com eles em Abuja, enfatizou a paz que os dois irmãos criaram no secretariado em Abuja, ao contrário do que notava ontem quando era presidente. Ele louvou a Deus porque hoje ninguém vem mais resolver diferenças.
Em nome dos dois irmãos, Pe. Vitalis agradeceu a todos os presentes e lembrou-nos que a cerimónia foi organizada e patrocinada individualmente, inteira e inteiramente pela sua pequena comunidade de culto de Santa Catarina. A ocasião felizmente terminou com a oração final proferida pelo primeiro vice-presidente do Gana, Bispo Joseph Kwaku Afrifah-Agekun.
Le 18 novembre 2023, l’histoire a été écrite dans la ville d’Abuja alors que les frères jumeaux apparents, Vitalis et Vincent, ont célébré ensemble le jubilé d’argent de leur ordination. Rappelons que Vitalis Chinedu Anaehobi est le Secrétaire Général du RECOWA-CERAO tandis que Vincent de Paul Boro en est le premier Secrétaire Général adjoint. L’événement a débuté par une messe concélébrée présidée par le Père. Vitalis Anaehobi, assisté du P. Vincent de Paul.
La messe qui a débuté vers 12 heures a réuni toute l’équipe RECOWA-CERAO. La messe a été particulièrement honorée par les présidents actuels et anciens du RECOWA-CERAO, l’archevêque Ignatius Ayau Kaigama du Nigéria, l’évêque Alexis Touably Youlo de Côte d’Ivoire et le premier vice-président du CERAO-RECOWA, Mgr Joseph Kwaku Afrifah-Agekun. D’autres étaient le P. Célestin Sagna et le P. George Chukwuemeka Nwachukwu qui venait du bureau RECOWA-CERAO en Côte d’Ivoire. Le vice-chancelier de l’Université Veritas, le P. Hyacinth Eme Ichoku, une institution catholique de première ligne, était également présente à l’occasion. Était également présent le secrétaire général de la Conférence des évêques catholiques du Nigeria, le père. Zachary Sanguimi, et son adjoint, le P. Myke Banjo. Le P. Uche Odoechina, président de Caritas Nigeria, et son adjoint, le père. Babangida était également présent. De nombreux prêtres et religieux de diverses régions du Nigeria étaient présents à la célébration eucharistique. L’occasion était peuplée de divers dignitaires d’Abuja et de ses environs.
La célébration eucharistique était ancrée par le P. Martin Chukuemeka Onukwuba. Dans son homélie longue mais précise, ce prédicateur décontracté nous a entraîné dans un voyage intellectuel sans fin. Il a détaillé artistiquement les similitudes fortuites entre les deux Jubilaires en commençant par leurs noms qui commençaient respectivement par la lettre V. Il a fait comprendre à la congrégation que les deux étaient nés la même année et ordonnés la même année avec des différences mineures. Il a vanté le lien d’amour qui les unissait et a prié Dieu de maintenir cet amour et cette unité qui parlent fort lorsque vous entrez dans leur maison. Il a même retracé leurs itinéraires après l’ordination, car tous deux sont partis en mission dans des endroits différents et sont devenus formateurs au séminaire à différents moments de leur parcours en tant que prêtres.
Le P. Marting a enfin énuméré sous forme de tablette les rôles attendus de tout prêtre catholique dans l’Église et dans la société. Il s’est attardé avant tout sur l’attitude de tout bon prêtre vis-à-vis de son Ordinaire du lieu. A la fin de la messe, la fête commençait pour de bon. Il y a eu beaucoup de repas et de boissons ainsi que diverses danses culturelles qui ont honoré l’occasion. Le point culminant de la cérémonie a été la lecture des citations du P. Vitalis et le P. Vincent. Des cadeaux ont été remis, à commencer par ceux provenant du RECOWA-CERAO présentés par le président, Mgr Tuoabli, et son adjoint, Mgr Afrifa. Ils ont insisté sur leur joie d’être témoins de cette journée. L’ancien président, qui vit avec eux à Abuja, a souligné la paix que les deux frères ont créée au secrétariat d’Abuja contrairement à ce qu’il avait remarqué hier lorsqu’il était président. Il a loué Dieu car aujourd’hui plus personne ne vient régler les différends.
Au nom des deux frères, le P. Vitalis a remercié toutes les personnes présentes et nous a rappelé que la cérémonie avait été organisée et parrainée à elle seule, entièrement par leur petite communauté de culte de Sainte-Catherine. L’occasion s’est terminée avec joie par la prière finale prononcée par le premier vice-président du Ghana, Mgr Joseph Kwaku Afrifah-Agekun.
On the 18th day of November 2023, history was made in the city of Abuja as the apparent twin brothers, Vitalis and Vincent celebrated together the Silver Jubilee of their ordination. Recall that Vitalis Chinedu Anaehobi is the Secretary General of RECOWA-CERAO while Vincent de Paul Boro is the first deputy Secretary General. The occasion kicked off with a concelebrated mass officiated by Fr. Vitalis Anaehobi, assisted by Fr. Vincent de Paul.
The mass which began by 12 pm had the entire RECOWA-CERAO team in attendance. The mass was particularly graced by the current and former presidents of RECOWA-CERAO, Archbishop Ignatius Ayau Kaigama from Nigeria, Bishop Alexis Touably Youlo from Ivory Coast, and the first vice President of CERAO-RECOWA Bishop Joseph Kwaku Afrifah-Agekun. Others were Fr. Celestin Sagna and Fr. George Chukwuemeka Nwachukwu who came from the RECOWA-CERAO office in Ivory Coast. The vice Chancellor of Veritas University, Fr. Hyacinth Eme Ichoku, a frontline Catholic Institution was also present at the Occasion. In attendance also was the Secretary General of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, Fr. Zachary Sanguimi, and his deputy, Fr. Myke Banjo. Fr. Uche Odoechina, who is the Caritas Nigeria President, and his deputy Fr. Babangida were also present. There were numerous priests and religious from various parts of Nigeria in attendance present at the Eucharistic celebration. The occasion was peopled by various dignitaries from Abuja and its environs.
The Eucharistic celebration was anchored by Fr. Martin Chukuemeka Onukwuba. In his long but accurate homily, this easy-going preacher took us on an unending intellectual voyage. He artistically detailed the coincidental similarities in the two Jubilarians starting with their names which began with the letter V respectively. He made the congregation understand that the two were born in the same year and ordained in the same year with minor dissimilarities. He extolled the love link between them and prayed to God to sustain this love and oneness which speaks loud as you enter their house. He even traced their routes after ordination as the two of them have gone for missions in different places and have become Seminary formators at different points in their journey as priests.
Fr. Marting finally enumerated in tablet form the roles expected of any Catholic priest in the Church and in the society. He dwelt primarily on the attitude of any good priest vis a vis his local ordinary. At the end of the mass, the feast began in earnest. There were lots of eating and drinking and various cultural dances that graced the occasion. The climax of the ceremony was the reading of the citations for Fr. Vitalis and Fr. Vincent. Gifts were presented beginning with the gifts coming from the RECOWA-CERAO presented by the president, bishop Tuoabli, and his deputy bishop Afrifa. They harped on their joy in witnessing this day. The former president, who lives in Abuja with them emphasized the peace that the two brothers have created at the secretariat in Abuja unlike what he was noticing yesterday when he was the president. He praised God that today, no one comes to settle differences any longer.
In the name of the two brothers, Fr. Vitalis thanked everyone present and reminded us that the ceremony was organized and sponsored single-handedly, whole and entirely by their little St. Catherine’s worshiping community. The occasion happily came to a close with the final prayer said by the first deputy President from Ghana, Bishop Joseph Kwaku Afrifah-Agekun.
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